Automatic liquid separator



June 3, 1941. STONE 2,243,988

AUTOMATIC LIQUID SEPARATOR Filed Nov. 29, 1938 9 I'WEZZZZ'am Sione,

INVENTOR Patented June 3, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '7 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic liquid separators and more particularly to a device for separating gasolene and other hydrocarbon liquid fuels from water or other liquids of higher specific gravity.

The invention has for its general object to I simplify the structure and make more practical the operation of a liquid separating and filtering device of this character so as to attain a more positive and dependable operation together with a high measure ofsafety.

A particular object is to provide an improved combination float and electrical controlling means for liquid separators.

A further object is to provide for the ready original assembly of the structure and the replacement of the several parts thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages to be attained, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in the novel general structure and parts and combinations and-arrangements of parts thereof as hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the assembled structure with the float elements and cooperative electric circuit controlling rod in normal lowered position; and

Figure 2 is a similar View taken at right angles to that of Figure 1 but with said float elements and rod shown in raised operative position in full lines and the normal lowered position of said parts indicated by broken lines, and also showing the drain valve in retracted position- Referring now to the drawing, the numeral designates a hollow shell or liquid container which, as shown, is generally cylindrical, having an open top and a tapered or conical bottom 2, which latter has a central opening 3 surrounded by a depending collar 4. The upper end portion of the container is externally screw threaded to receive a counterpart internally screw-threaded portion provided therefor in an This annular flange 5 of a closure member or cap 6.

valve element, as shown, is formed with a conical lower end portion to partially enter the collared opening 3 of the container with the base portion of the cone seated on the adjacent tapered inner wall portion of the container surrounding said opening 3. The valve element II is provided with a central screw-threaded socket I2 in its upper side to receive the correspondingly screw-threaded lower end portion of an elongated stem 3, the upper end portion of which latter extends into a hollow core I4 of an electro-magnet of the solenoid type I5, the stem being provided at its end with a circular head It which is fitted to slide freely within said core I4.

As shown, the core I4 of the solenoid is formed integrally with a head I! from which the core depends axially into the container I, said head I'I having a reduced upper portion I8 which is externally screw-threaded to fit tightly Within a correspondinglyscrew-threaded central opening in the cap 6 whereby to effectively seal the opening in the cap and afford a stable support for the solenoid unit. An opposed head I9 is provided at the lower end of the core I4, the wire coil of the solenoid being obviously wrapped around the core I4, between the heads I8 and I9, and a liquidproof cylindrical sheathing 20 being preferably and rather essentially provided to shield the coil from the liquid contents of the container I, said sheathing being fitted at its opposite ends with sealed effect in annular recesses provided therefor in the respective heads I8 and I9.

A float supporting member 2|, in the form of a cylindrical block, having a central bore 22, is externally screw-threaded at its upper end and fitted tightly within a correspondingly screwthreaded socket portion in the lower head I9 of the solenoid, the bore 22 of said member 2| being axially aligned with the core I4 of the solenoid and affording a guide for the stem portion I3 of the valve element II, said stem portion being slidable freely in the bore 22 of said member 2|. The spring element 23, which normally urges the valve element into closing relation to the bottom opening 3 of the container I, is sleeved about the stem portion I3 between the valve element II and the lower end of said float supporting member 2|, said spring yielding upon energization of the solenoid I5 to retract stem I3, which latter, of course, is made of a suitably characteristic metal to constitute the armature of the solenoid, this action occurring as will be later more fully described.

The terminals 24 and 25 of the solenoid 6011 are carried upwardly through passageways 26 and 21, respectively, provided therefor in the head ll, said passageways merging with an axial outlet opening 28 in said head. As illustrated diagrammatically, the coil terminal 24 is connected by a circuit wire 29 to a battery or other source of electrical energy 30, which latter is grounded, as at 3|. The other coil terminal 25 is electrically attached to a contact plate 32 which is screwed or otherwise attached to the flanged outer end portion 33 of a tube 35 made of a suitable material of non-electrical conductivity, said tube being threaded at its, upper end portion into an opening provided therefor in the cap so as to form a stable support for the tube, and the tube extending for a considerable distance down into the container l and being open I at its lower end.

Slidable within the tube 3t is a reciprocatory rod 35 having a contact head 36 at its upper end to engage the contact plate 32 at the outer end of the tube 3 when the rod 35 is lifted by "float controlled means to be presently described. This rod 35 is grounded electrically, as illustrated diagrammatically at 35 in Figure 1 of the drawing, but, in practice, the grounding of the rod may be efiected inany obvious mannenas through the body of liquid between the rod and the wall of the container 1, which latter may be naturally grounded through the pipe connection 8 or iii, or the means of attachment of the container to a vehicle body frame or other metallic supporton which the device maybe mounted in use. 1

' As shown, the lower end portion of the rod 35 is hingedly attached, as at 37, to the meeting ends of a pair of toggle-links 3 8, which latter are, in turn, respectively hingedly attached, as at 39, to pairs of upstanding lugs 46 provided on semi-circular float elements 4 l As shown, the float elements 41 are provided at their straight inner sides with rounded recesses Q2 of ample area to fit around the cylin- V drical supportingblock 2| with sufiicient clearance therebetween to permit a free up-anddown swinging movement of the float elements,

said elements having provision for the pivotal Preferably, I

attachment thereof to the block 2i. as shown, these float elements 4i comprise top plates "33 having vopposed lugs :54 at the ends of. their recessed portions 42 and aligned in parallel relation to the straight sides of the elements ll, said lugs M being fitted pivotally in recesses provided therefor in the supporting block 25. The float elements further comprise bottom plates :35 and a filler 46 between the top and bottomrplatesiet andv 45, said filler being of any suitablebuoyant material, preferably a felt or other characteristic fibrous absorbent material. The parts. it, 45 and ifihmay be held together in any suitable. manner. As shown they are secured by screws 47 which are inserted through apertures provided therefor in top plates 43 and threaded at their ends in aligned apertures provided in the bottom plates 35.

Normally, the solenoid I5 is de-energized and the valve element H is seated under the influence of the spring element 23 in closing relation to the bottom opening 3 of the container I, at

which time, also, the float elements 4| are in a lowered position, as shown in full lines in Figure l, and in broken lines in Figure 2, in which position of the float elements 41 the rod 35 is in a lowered position with its contact head 36 out of engagement with the contact plate 32 at the upper end of the'tube 34.

In the use of the device a characteristic liquid to be conducted therethrough is fed into the container 5 through the inlet pipe 8, filling'the container to the level of or above the outlet pipe l0. Such liquid, for example, being gasolene or other hydrocanbon product, for which the device of the present invention is primarily or more particularly provided, will flow through the container l without affecting the normally lowered float elements M as long as the liquid retains its specific normal characterization, andduring this normal condition of the liquid the absorbent filler 46 of the float elements will have taken up some of the liquid and thereby become saturated so as to increase the weight of the float elements rather than to tend to lift them. However, should the gasolene or other liquid have an appreciable water content or other liquid ingredient of higher specific gravity and separable from the desirable lighter constituents to be retained in the outflow from the container, said heavier liquid will naturally settle to the bottom of the container and be thereby trapped, while the liquid of lighter specific gravity will flow directly across the upper'portion of the container between theinlet andthe outlet where the pipes 8 and H) are respectively connected.

As soon as there is an accumulation of water or other liquid in the lower portion of the container l of higher specific gravity than the liquid separated therefrom and passing out of the upper portion of the container, the float elements 4! will be accordingly swung upwardly on their lug portions which are pivotally attached'to the supporting block 2i, whereupon the rod. 3'5 will be lifted, due to the toggle-link connection between its lower. end and said float elements, and as soon as the contact head 36 at the upper end of the rod engages the contact plate 32 on the tube 34 the solenoid circuit: is .closed. Im-

Any. suitable stop means may be provided for limiting the downward swinging 'movement of the float elements. iii and supporting them in their normal lowered position; As shown, an annular rib E8 is provided on the tapered bottom 2, of the container Liagainst which the lower peripheral edge portions of the float elements engage, as shown more clearly in broken lines in Figure 2. 1 i V mediately upon the energization of the solenoid coil the stem 53 is'retractedagainst the tension of the spring element 23. between the valve element II and supporting block 2'|,'thereby. lifting the valve element from the bottom opening 3; of the container I, whereupon the water or heavier liquid is drained from the container and the float elements Al immediately drop to their normal lowered positionretracting the rod 35 therewith and breaking the solenoid circuit, whereupon the valve element H is again seated to closefthe opening 3 under the reaction of the spring element 23. V V 7 l 1 i In accordance with the present invention not only is, a liquid separating device produced which is automatic and highly eflicient in operation, with positive actuation of its movable controlli sibility of: igniting conrbustible liquids 'is-prac,

tion of the invention, considerable modification and alteration may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic liquid separator comprising a vertical container shell having liquid inlet and outlet openings in the upper portion thereof and a drain opening in its bottom, the portion of. the shell below the inlet and outlet openings constituting a liquid trap, a self-closing retractable valve element normally closing said drain opening, a spring closing said valve element, a correlated electro-magnet within the shell for retracting said valve element, a circuit for said electro-magnet being normally broken and the magnet accordingly de-energized, a normally open switch element in said circuit for closing the circuit of the magnet, and float means in the lower portion of the container having an operable connection with the switch element whereby to actuate said element to close the circuit ofthe magnet when liquid of a certain specific gravity reaches a predetermined level in the trap portion of the container.

2. An automatic liquid separator comprising a vertical closed hollow container having liquid inlet and outlet openings in the upper part thereof and a drain opening in its bottom, the portion of the container below the inlet and outlet openings constituting a liquid trap, a self-closing retractable valve element normally closing the drain opening, a spring closing said valve element, an electro-magnet of the solenoid type supported within the container in superposed relation to said valve element and provided with a guide for the latter in its actuation, a circuit for said magnet being normally broken and the magnet ac-' cordingly de-energized, a normally open, switch element within the container in said circuit, a float operating the switch for closing the circuit of the magnet when liquid of certain specific gravity reaches a predetermined level in the lower portion of the container.

3. The herein described automatic liquid separator, including a vertically disposed, hollow, cylindrical container shell, open at its top and having a tapered bottom, the bottom provided with an axial drain opening, an annularly flanged cap closing the upper end of the shell, said cap having a liquid inlet and an opposed liquid outlet therein, a solenoid type magnet having a head portion detachably secured to the central portion of the cap and a core depending axially from said head portion, the circuit of the magnet being normally broken and the magnet accordingly deenergized, a self-closing valve element normally closing the drain opening in the bottom of the shell, said valve element having an elongated stem, the upper portion of which is projected into the core of the magnet, the magnet having an axially bored supporting member for guiding the valve stem, an interposed spring element yieldably holding the valve element in closing relation to the drain opening of the shell, a pair of oppositely acting float elements pivotally mounted on said valve stem supporting and guiding element of the magnet, a normally open switch unit an open endedtube of non-electrical conductivity depending vertically within the container shell, the upper end of the tube being closed by an electric contact member connected to one of the circuit terminals of the magnet, a reciprocatory rod slidable within said tube and having a contact member at its upper end to engage the contact member of the tube, and a toggle-link connection between the lower end of said reciprocatory rod and said float elements, said float-elearator, comprising a generally cylindrical, vertically disposed, container slhell, open at its top and being externally screw-threaded adjacent the opening, the bottom of the shell being tapered and having an axial drain opening therein, an annularly flanged cap screwed on the threaded upper end portion of the container shell,

for the circuit of the magnet, said unit including said cap having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet at diametrically opposite points in its flanged portion, said capalso having a screw-threaded central opening, a solenoid type magnet having a head portion, a part of which is reduced and screw-threaded to fit the central opening of the cap, a hollow core portion depending axially from said head portion, the lower end of the core being open, an axially bored supporting and guiding member having a screw-threaded fitting in the lower end of the core of the magnet, a self-closing valve including a tapered head for closing the drain opening of the container shell, a stem having a screw-threaded attachment to the valve at its lower end, the upper portion of the stem being slidable through said supporting and guiding member on the magnet and extended into the core of the magnet, the stem having a head at its extreme upper end portion fitted slidably to the core of the magnet, a spring element sleeved on the stem between the valve head and said supporting and guiding member of the magnet, said spring yieldably holding the valve in closing relation to the drain opening, the magnet when energized retracting the valve from its closing relation to said opening, but said magnet being normally deenergized, a pair of oppositely acting segmental float elements recessed medially at their meeting sides to surround said supporting and guidin member on the magnet and being hingedly attached to said member in the region of the recessed portions, and a normally open switch for the circuit of the magnet including a non-electric guide tube fitted at its upper end in a screwthreaded opening provided therefor in the cap and depending vertically from the cap into the container shell, said tube having an electric contact member closing one end thereof and connected to one circuit terminal of the magnet, the opposite end of the tube being open, a reciprocatory rod within the tube and having a contact member at its inner end to engage the contact member at the end of the tube but being normally retracted therefrom, and a toggle-link connection between the lower end of said reciprocatory rod and said float elements whereby the rod is normally held retracted by said float elements but lifted to close the magnet circuit when liquid of certain specific gravity reaches a predetermined level in the lower portion of the container shell.

5. In a liquid separator of the character described, a vertical hollow container: having, liquidinlet and outlet openings in the upper portion and a drain outlet in its bottom, a valve element normally closing said drain opening, a spring holding said valve element closed, a normally deenergized electromagnet located within the container, means operated by the magnet for opening the valve elementv when the magnet is energized, a circuit for said electromagnet, a normally open switch in said circuit, a float within the container, an operable connection between the switch and the float to normally hold the latter in open position and functioning to move it to circuit closing position when liquid of a certain specific gravity reaches a predetermined levelin the container, said float including as an element a hinged float body comprising a pair of spaced plates with a buoyant filler of absorbent, material of substantial thickness interposed therebetween.

,6. In a liquid separator of the character described, a Vertical hollow container havingliquid inlet and outlet openings in the upper portion thereof and a drain outlet in the bottom, a valve element normally closing said drain opening, a spring holding said valve element closed, a normally deenergized eleotromagnet located within the container, means operated by the magnet for opening the valve element when the magnet is energized, a circuit for said electromagnet, a normally open switch in the Said circuit, a float within the container,and an operable connection between-the switch and float to normally hold the latter in its open position and functioning to move it to a circuit closing position when a liquid of certain specific gravity reaches a predetermined level in the container,

said float including as an element a hingedfloat body comprising a pair of spaced plates with a buoyant filler of felted fibrous material of substantial thickness interposed therebetween.

'7. An automatic liquid separator comprising a vertical container having diametrically opposed liquid inlet and outlet openings in the upper part thereof anda drain opening in its bottomQa valve element within the container normally closing the drain opening, means for yieldably holding said valve element in its normally closed position, a normally de-energized electro-magnet also within the container and correlated to said valve element and adapted, when energized, to move said valve element to an open position relative to the drain opening of the container, and circuit-closing means within the container for effecting the energization of said electromagnet including a pair of semicircular floatable elements responsive to liquid of certain specific gravity, said floatable elements being hingedly mounted at their straight chordal sides, a reciprocatory circuit closure element in perpendicular relation to said fioatable elements, and a toggle link connection between said circuit closure element and said fioatable elements.

WILLIAM STONE. 

